by Casey Burinskas

ALTOONA, Pa. – On Friday night, the Penn State Altoona men's volleyball team had their season opener at home against non-conference opponent Roanoke College, and the Lions were dealt a loss after falling 3-0 to the Maroons.

Roanoke (3-1) took the match in straight sets, winning by scores of 25-19, 25-20, and 25-20 over Penn State Altoona (0-1).

Caleb Fries (Altoona, PA/Altoona) had a match-high 8.5 points for Penn State Altoona on seven kills, one service ace, and one block assist. Owen Pratt (Pennsburg, PA/Upper Perkiomen) added five points on five kills while totaling a team-best five digs, and Landen Fisher (Altoona, PA/Altoona) scored four points on two kills, two block assists, and an ace.

Mason Grover (Penfield, NY/Penfield) led the Lions in assists with 13.

In the first set, Altoona was first to put points on the board with a kill from Jack McKenna (Manahawkin, NJ/Southern Regional) that Grover assisted. Another kill from Fries allowed Altoona to be up by 4-2 early in the set. With the Lions beginning to trail deeper into the set, Pratt brought his team back to within two, 14-12, with a kill. With Roanoke sitting at a score of 20 after putting up six straight points, several errors by the Maroons helped the Lions get to within five, 24-19. But Altoona was unable to stay alive in the set, as Roanoke scored the next point to win the first set 25-19.

Hopeful in the second set, Altoona was first to score with a point given up by Roanoke on an attack error. The Lions committed several attack errors of their own over the next several plays, allowing Roanoke to build an 8-3 lead, but Pratt placed two kills for the Lions to help bring Altoona back to within two points, 9-7. Further into the set with Altoona now trailing by six, Pratt was able to receive the ball from Grover and successfully make a kill to close the gap with Roanoke. The Lions got late kills by Fisher and Fries, but Altoona ultimately dropped another set against the Maroons by a final score of 25-20.

Wanting a comeback in the third set, Altoona used an error from Roanoke that put the Lions up first. Roanoke scored eight of the next 11 points to take the lead, but the Lions raised their score with a kill by Michael Hansen (Palatine, IL/William Fremd) followed by an ace from Fries that cut the Maroons' advantage to 8-6. A service ace from Joshua Harclerode (Nazareth, PA/Nazareth) tied the score, then a kill from Grover put the Lions up for the first time since the opening point, making it 11-10. Down by two shortly thereafter, Altoona got a big kill from Lucas Petrones (Oxford, PA/Avon Grove Charter) to get within one, 14-13. With points falling in from both sides, another kill from Fries and two errors by the Maroons allowed Altoona to come back and tie the score at 18-18. With the set coming down to the wire, Fisher put up a final kill, but Altoona lost the third by a score of 25-20 to be swept by the Maroons.

Next on the board for the Penn State Altoona men's volleyball team, the Lions will travel to Penn State Behrend in Erie next Friday, January 24, and Saturday, January 25, when they will compete in the AMCC/PAC Crossover. Penn State Altoona will face Chatham University on Friday at 7 p.m., then face Geneva College and Thiel College on Saturday starting at 12 p.m.